Generating Religious Ed Billing Statements
Generating the Religious Ed Billing Statements is a 2-part process. The first step is to generate the data-source by downloading the Capital Campaign Excel report. The second step is to generate statements using the Word Mail Merge function.
Tip: Prior to beginning this process we suggest you create a folder called Religious Ed Billing Statements on your desktop. This file can be used to store your templates, the source document, finished statements and labels. Storing these files in a single folder will make them easy to locate and use during the merge process and for accessing at a later date if needed.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Religious Ed Billing Statement Template
Note: Microsoft Word provides users with detailed instructions on creating templates. All templates should be saved in the template format (*.dotx).
Generating the Source Document
To generate the source document to be used in the mail merge, browse to Funds > Fund Maintenance > put a check in the box next to your Religious Ed Fees Fund > Funds > Generate Campaign and the following box will pop up. The date field can be the date you generate the statements or you can use this date as the payment due date. How you use this date will depend on how you set-up your statement template. In the second field, you can use the default file format. The last field is the name of the file. You have the option to rename your file. Hit Print. Depending on your browser the file will appear in your tray at the bottom of the screen or may prompt you for an Open/Save.
Note: The default location for all ChMS files is the Downloads file found on your computer. The name of this file is always CapCampPledgevsContribs and may be followed by a number in parentheses if you have downloaded this file a number of times. If that is the case select the file with the largest number in parentheses.
Creating Religious Ed Billing Statements
Open up your RE Billing Statement Template that you created and select Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard from the Mailings drop-down menu.
The Mail Merge wizard will open a window on the right called Mail Merge. Press Next on the first two prompts that appear at the bottom. You will come to Step 3 of 6. You will want to select recipients by clicking on Browse. The Select Data Source pop-up box will appear. Locate and select the source document that you downloaded. Press the Open button.
The Select Table pop-up box will open and show the name of the file and "First row of data...." should be checked. Click OK.
The Mail Merge Recipients box will pop-up and will show you a preview of the data. This box allows you to refine your recipient list or generate statements for everyone. Click OK.
Press Write Your Letter in the Mail merge Prompt window and then press Preview your letters in the prompt window. Once you do this you will see the first record displayed in the letter. If you are happy with the result click on Complete the Merge.
On the next prompt, you can either press Print to send them to the printer or press Edit Individual letters. If you choose the latter this creates ALL your letters into a new Word document file where you can save to your desktop or another folder that you created for your RE billing statements. An example of a file name for the statements might be 2022FinalStatements. We recommend saving the finished file so if you need to access them in the future you do not have to regenerate the statements.